8 Reasons Why You SHOULD Use Coupons!
This morning, my inbox was full of emails from all of you about an article that appeared today in Yahoo’s Personal Finance section by Amy Fontinelle entitled “8 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Use Coupons.” Although I am not really surprised that this article was printed (I have often encountered coupon skeptics), I was determined to write something in return. So here is my personal rebuttal entitled “8 Reasons Why You Should Use Coupons.” If you have additional reasons to add, please do so in the comment section below. I will also be emailing the author, Amy, my article in the hopes that she will re-consider her reasons for not couponing.
Amy, if you are reading this, I am personally inviting you to join me on a “Follow You Monday” adventure…you pick the date and the store and I will personally join you with my coupon binder in hand…I guarantee that I will make you a believer in the value of coupons! 😀
**Please keep in mind the sentences that are in bold below are taken directly from “8 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Use Coupons”
(1) You have to buy a newspaper.
You do NOT have to buy a newspaper to be a couponer. You can snag coupon inserts from family, friends and neighbors who are not avid couponers. In addition, contact local coffee shops and restaurants and ask if you can come by every Sunday evening and recycle their Sunday newspapers; you can then take the inserts and drop the remainder of the newspapers off at a recycling center. And, check out this post here for ways you can snag multiple copies of coupon inserts for free. Finally, be pro-active. Contact your local newspaper and ask if they offer a discount if you buy several Sunday papers each week. Also keep in mind that many coupons do not come from the newspaper but instead are available online. You can access many high value coupons online on sites like Coupons.com, Smartsource.com, and Redplum.com. Even if you pay as high as $0.10 per printed coupon (due to ink costs), it is still worth it as you will save anywhere from $0.35-$5.00+ off the cost of an item.
(2) Clipping coupons takes time.
Clipping coupons does take time, but it is time well spent! According to an MSNBC.com article, the average savings per coupon is $1.44. If we assume it takes a minute to clip and organize one coupon, this means for one minute worth of work, you can save an average of $1.44. So if you spend an hour clipping 60 coupons, you will in essence save $86.40! I would also encourage all of you to check out my Follow You Monday video filmed back in February in Tampa, Florida at a Publix store…after coupons, we spent $3.45 out of pocket for $258.24 worth of items! Now, wouldn’t you agree clipping coupons is well worth your time?!
(3) Getting a newspaper invites lots of additional advertising into your home.
Couponers welcome advertisements because ads allow us to be more informed and savvy shoppers. Staying informed of all the latest ads in your area enables you to decide where to spend your time shopping during the week. In addition, advertisements enable couponers to take advantage of price matching which is available at large stores like Target and Walmart (price matching policies may vary from store to store). Check out my personal price matching story here that depicts how I succeeded in scoring Toy Story 1 and Toy Story 2 Blue Ray Discs for only $6.99 each!
(4) Many of the coupons will be for things you neither need nor want.
Although many of the items may be for things that you do not need or want, you can always find a use for these unneeded/unwanted items. For example, many Hip2Save readers will take personal care items that they snag for free (thank you coupons :D) and donate them to a local charity. Check out this video where I go to the pound and a local Women’s Shelter to donate my freebies. Or consider taking these items and making a nice gift basket for a friend…for example, I was able to put together a gift basket of household and personal care products (that I had snagged for free over the last few months) for a friend who recently purchased her first home. How great is that?!
(5) Coupons can tempt you to spend your grocery dollars on things you shouldn’t
Yes, coupons can tempt you to spend your grocery dollars on things you shouldn’t. SO can an empty stomach, a screaming child, a TV advertisement…the list goes and on and on. For the most part, couponers come to the store prepared with a shopping list in hand and a shopping budget in mind. Staying organized and focused prevents the desire to spend money on unintended items.
(6) The same coupons tend to be offered over and over again.
Thank goodness the same coupons are offered over and over again! In my mind, you can never have enough $3/1 Huggies coupons, right?! And, yes, I do agree with the statement that you often won’t use all the coupons you clip by their expiration date. However, that does not mean that you need to toss the coupons in the trash. Instead, you can put your expired coupons to good use. U.S. military families stationed overseas are able to use coupons on base for up to SIX MONTHS after the manufacturer’s expiration date! So start collecting those expired coupons and check out the post here for information on how and where to send your coupons.
(7) You might become a slave to coupons.
Yes, it is difficult to buy something without a coupon once you get used to using coupons. Knowing that you can get cereal for less than $1 makes it extremely difficult to spend $4+ on it, right?! For this reason, couponers know that when they find a great bargain, they take advantage of the savings opportunity. Couponers stock up on sale items, so that they never have to pay full-price for an item. Check out this stockpiling picture here from a Hip2Save reader.
(8) Shopping takes longer.
Organization is key! An organized couponer will not be in the store any longer than the average person. Check out my post/video found here for tips on coupon organization.
Here’s my two cents:
I don’t believe that woman was ever put in a position where she would need to learn how to save money. For that she’s very lucky. It’s kind of like people who don’t want to have kids. They don’t know what they are missing until they actually have them, but if they don’t have them they will never know! I hope for her sake that she never has to go through tough times because she just wouldn’t know how to handle it and make it work, but if she did I have no doubt she’d be singing a different tune.
Collin, I absolutely loved your very well thought and well put rebuttal. Your points were very clear, concise, matter of fact, and totally blew her points out of the water! I’m also going to send your rebuttal to Yahoo Finance and would encourage all your readers to do the same. I’d love to see your rebuttal on the front of Yahoo tomorrow. 🙂
Jan
You GO GIRL! I have many people tell me these same things all the time. Even after I tell them i save around $300 a month on things. Rebates, coupons, and Sales can save you bundles. My husband is so happy i’ve found a way to stay home with our 2 little ones,3rd to be on the way soon. Without this web site we were struggling and dipping into savings constantly. Now we save so much, we can actually save. We just saved $400 in 4 months which is a lot to us. Thanks Collin!
Has anyone emailed her this article or a response to her article? Her email address is alfontin@gmail.com. I found it off of her blog at https://twopenniesearned.blogspot.com and https://amyfontinelle.wordpress.com/contact. I know I’ll be writing!!!
I just also wanted to say i consider couponing and looking for sales and rebates my job. Its my contribution to our family.
I agree with you on this one!!! Since I stay home with my kids this is what I can do to help us save money. My husband makes fun of me all the time but at the same time he tells everybody how I save us so much money. All the guys he works with think I need to teach their wives how to use coupons! LOL Even my Dad who has never used a coupon in his life is starting to use coupons! I even got him to buy a little file folder yesterday! These days I don’t know how anybody an afford to not use coupons!
Exactly! Our grocery bill has gone down dramatically plus I am still able to get things to donate to charity. I not only support my family but other families as well. It’s so sad that this person knows so little about how couponing actually works. She sounds like that person who stands behind us in line and huffs and puffs about our stack of coupons then gasps when the cashier says wow you just saved 100 bucks! I don’t know why people find couponing taboo. Jealousy perhaps or social conditioning. As capitalists we are conditioned to buy things without question and on impulse. Couponers go against the grain. We plan out what we buy and we stick to it. Sorry to rant but this really irked me!
I do buy a number of things that never have any coupons come out and will keep buying them but by using coupons for other things, it’s no biggie because I save a lot on all the other items. I even convinced my husband that no, we do not need to use only that ONE specific brand of toothpaste while I get other brands for free – he’s seen the difference couponing makes and is on board.
Sure, clipping takes time but hey, earning the money I’d spend without coupons takes time too!!! Once you get organized, know what you are doing, it is easy and quick.
As for buying things I would not use – I get them ONLY when I get them for free and then give away to family and friends first. I haven’t really piled up donation items because family and friends always end up taking the stuff.
The Yahoo article was just silly, not the kind of sound advice I’d expect from a personal finance section.
Thank you Collin for an awesome website!
Just read the article by Ms Amy and I am left wondering, “Is this chick serious? Has she done ANY real research? Or did she just type something off the cuff to meet a deadline?” As my couponing has helped me afford staying home and homeschool my children… and as it has cut our grocery bill in half INCLUDING excess groceries to share with those in need… with very minimal cost of time and overwhelming savings of money… I think I will trust the time-tested and proven facts and not this poorly researched article. Thanks for a good rebuttal, Collin.
Dear Amy,
You said (#1) “You have to buy a newspaper”, well what’s wrong with buying a newspaper? If you can save exponentially more than you spent on the paper using the coupons, who cares. By the way, you really DON’T HAVE to buy a newspaper to get coupons. In fact, this past Sunday I dropped my dog off at a Petsmart to be groomed and decided to hang out at a nearby Starbucks. While there I noticed a huge stack of used newspapers and scored FOUR Sunday coupon inserts that would have otherwise gone in the trash!
Also, (#4) you mention that “Many of the coupons will be for things you neither need nor want”, well let me tell you, I’ve cut AT LEAST 30-40% off the monthly grocery budget by purchasing MANY items that I need AND want. By the way, since I’ve started using coupons I now get to try many new products for super cheap (or free) that before I truly couldn’t afford. FREE this month I’ve tried new household cleaners, mouthrinse, chewing gum, skin care, juice, and cereal. It’s been so much fun trying new things thanks to coupons. And besides, Collin always encourages us coupon-ers to forego brand loyalty in order to get the BEST price.
I agree with ‘what’s wrong with buying a newspaper’…I like to read the newspaper…it keeps them in business a little longer too. I like reading articles and keeping updated on the local news…what’s wrong with that?
Wow, sadly that article is how alot of people think! I spend about 2-3 hrs a week between clipping coupons and pulling out what I need and matching them to store circulars, and it was definatly time well spent. Last week I made 3 trips to Kroger (I do my shopping while my daughter is in classes at the YMCA to little time to go all the way home but enough time for a well planned couponing trip) between the 3 trips I got 80 items 6 tubes of toothpast, 6 toothbrushes, 8 deodorants, 5 packs of batteries, 4 bags of BBQ chips, 4 boxes of crackers, 20 yogurt packs (my 3 yr old loves yogurt for a snack and we freeze them with plastic spoons for popsicles), 8 spagetti o’s, 10 blocks of cheese, 5 bags of shredded cheese, and 4 frozen Pizzas. I spent $2.67! Most of the cheese crackers and chips will be used at my daugher’s bday party this weekend and the rest will be used by my family of 5 or given to friends and family none of it is going to waste and I saved over $400. Tell me that wasn’t worth a few hours a week!
I’m totally FREAKING OUT! I went back and read the old guest post that talked about scoring extra coupon inserts at little/no cost (I only stumbled upon this site and blogs in general maybe a few months ago) – and found out that someone with my same name has earned QUITE the reputation on this site – AND NOT A GOOD ONE!! From now on, instead of Meredith, I’ll go by my nickname – Mo. Don’t want to be confused with the OTHER Meredith. Ruining our good name dangit!! LOL
Sounds like that woman was really more bitter about having to buy a newspaper than using coupons! Even if you pay for a newspaper…isn’t the benefit of reading what is happening in your city worth that price alone? The coupons are just a bonus!
Glad to see your rebuttal Collin! Just wish we could comment on her article!
The funny thing is that my local newspaper sends out a buy 1 get 1 free coupon card for local restaurants when you have a Sunday paper subscription! It costs me $8.10/month to have the paper delivered to my house which is about $1 more per month than going and buying the paper at the store but I don’t have to worry about getting to the store while they still have some and sometimes people steal the inserts out of the middle. If mine gets thrown at my door I know that I’m getting everything and if I don’t I can call the newspaper and they’ll get me a new one. Plus with the BOGO card all I have to do is go to one restaurant a month and I’ve saved enough to pay for my monthly papers. Also my sister just told me that if you go to our local Casey’s Convience store and buy 8 gallons of gas you get a free paper. Everybody has to buy gas and if you have more than one car you can get a few papers for free! I think I’ll wait until Sunday to buy gas from now on!!! I’ve also been told that some Kum & Go stores do the same so you might check into it where you live.
That article is just plain silly. First off, some people actually buy newspapers–to read them! Second, is the “additional advertising” you’re inviting into your home worse than what you find on television–which the author clearly approves of–or the Internet (her medium of choice, and even worse in my opinion)? The woman clearly doesn’t coupon or she’d know that (1) shopping doesn’t take longer if you’re just shopping normally, but with coupons for items you buy the most (2) it doesn’t matter if most of the coupons are for things you don’t want or need–because you can just ignore them! (3) sometimes you want the same coupons regularly–after all, we regularly bathe, and eat, and shave, etc.
Reason number 9) because it’s SOOOO MUCH FUN to watch the jaws of the annoyed people in the checkout line behind you drop to the flippin’ floor when they realise that you just saved 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90% or even 99% of your grocery bill by taking an hour or two out of your day to organize and then use those “stupid little slips” of paper.
The best is when they are all hot and bothered while the cashier is ringing you up and then after they see your total they want to know where you got all your coupons and how you did it!
And then cashier doesn’t believe that for all of those items you have to pay a little and ask her manager to figure out how it’s happened…And “smart” manager doesn’t allow you to buy “almost free” and use her calculate to count in her own way…That’s happened with me yesterday.
Nothing to add. Thanks for all you do and all your encouragement. I love your site!!
Thanks for dispelling the myths Collin! I’m stoked from my “regular” grocery trip last night to safeway where I paid $29 for $118 worth of groceries. Not my best, but still darn good since it was a regular, going off what we need type of a trip.
This writer needs a wake up call!!!!!! Walk past ANY homeless or battered womens shelter and you will see people just like us! Just a paycheck away. Try donating!! That in itself is good reason to coupon. You may not need the item your getting for free but others who are less fortunate then us do! Through couponing i am getting school supplies for 100 kids whos parents cannot afford them. This writer needs a dose of reality.
I hope she takes up you on your offer! Aren’t newspapers the ones that keep journalists like her employed? That’s all I have to say!
Pretty sure she isn’t a journalist. There were a lot of grammar and spelling mistakes, and it sounded a bit amateur. Just sayin!
im sorry, but amy’s article is so dumb its making me laugh! sure, cliipping coupons isnt EASY, and it certainly doesnt save time – but not all of us have unlimited financial resources!
I always say that if I had a full time job that paid me hundreds of dollars an hour, then maybe it wouldnt be worth my while to coupon. But couponing is something i can do while staying at home with my kids, and I save money while doing that! For me, it’s ideal!
This lady clearly doesnt know all the secrets, either. She said that you cant get fruits and veggies for cheaper – she obviously doesnt know about buying your produce with overage! my grocery store takes Walgreens RR, so I can get anything I want for free as long as there is a good overage deal at walgreens that week!
Sure, it takes a lot of effort -but when i look at my beautiful stockpile, its all worth it. 🙂
and beautiful children! 😉
Who does this women work for? I think that article went out b/c too many people are now realizing how AWESOME it is to shop with coupons, and businesses might be losing more $ than budgeted because of it. Or she doesn’t understand the high from finding a great deal. She is SO missing out!
Thanks for writing this! I remember you said coupons could be donated to the military but I couldn’t find the info again so I’ve been throwing away expired coupons for months. I’m bookmarking this now so I don’t waste another coupon. Thanks!
Couponing is something I enjoy. Some people may knit, watch TV, or do Suduku puzzles in their spare time. Nothing wrong with that. There’s also nothing wrong with the fact that I like to coupon for fun. I love the rush of saving money and I enjoy organization, so couponing is perfect for me! lol
I told my hubby that I have now found a new hobby since our kids are older. I enjoy the process.
Mt girlfriend and I spent a whole day going through her inserts that she had neglected for about a month, I carefully clipped and calculated and we have an envelope of expired AND current coupons going to a Navy base in Spain that totals over $4,000 worth of savings. I personally wish that I had $4,000 to help a family stationed over seas and away from their family and friends, but now I know that I am helping with my one day or less of time. My husband, family, and friends are amazed at the items I am saving to donate, and the non profit preschool that I work for is beside themselves about how I am able to get them the supplies without breaking their bank. Couponing takes time, and a little cost, but the rewards are so great for our family that I think I would continue to coupon even if I was a millionaire. Maybe this author should be encouraging people to give a little more of themselves and their time to purchase food for food banks or supplies for a shelter, instead of encouraging the selfish feelings of “time is money”. I appreciate how this blog has helped myself and many of my friends, and how you stand up to keep the voice heard! Thank You for all that you do Collin!
That was so kind of you and your friend! When we were stationed overseas a group of ladies would send me a 10 pound box every month (and they try to send one to every base overseas). I would then go through it, take the ones I knew I would use and then bring the rest to the commissary (they have a coupon area set up) and take some to the Family Readiness center where they would then put them into goody bags for people to come and get.
I was wanting to send mine but I was wondering how much it costs to send them through the USPS???
Mt girlfriend and I spent a whole day going through her inserts that she had neglected for about a month, I carefully clipped and calculated and we have an envelope of expired AND current coupons going to a Navy base in Spain that totals over $4,000 worth of savings. I personally wish that I had $4,000 to help a family stationed over seas and away from their family and friends, but now I know that I am helping with my one day or less of time. My husband, family, and friends are amazed at the items I am saving to donate, and the non profit preschool that I work for is beside themselves about how I am able to get them the supplies without breaking their bank. Couponing takes time, and a little cost, but the rewards are so great for our family that I think I would continue to coupon even if I was a millionaire. Maybe this author should be encouraging people to give a little more of themselves and their time to purchase food for food banks or supplies for a shelter, instead of encouraging the selfish feelings of “time is money”. I appreciate how this blog has helped myself and many of my friends, and how you stand up to keep the voice heard! Thank You for all that you do Collin!
As a side note, a girlfriend of mine made the difficult choice of going on state assistance due to their small business being effected my the economy down turn. She uses coupons on her shopping trips to see how much of her food stamps she DOESN’T have to use. They may be short on spending cash, but her house is always stocked with the foods her family needs, and I am almost positive she never uses ALL the food stamp money every month.
sorry this posted twice DOH!!
I wrote this to the author of the article
I would HIGHLY suggest you do a bit more homework before you write an article (none less as a finance expert) like what appeared on yahoo
8 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Use Coupons
by Amy Fontinelle
Monday, July 19, 2010
I have been couponing since February — so I am new and still learning.
My grocery bill last week before coupons came to $187. and change
By the time I had used my coupons and combined them with store coupons and sales my total was $3.64 and I also got a $5.00 rebate from Sorrento Cheese.
So I basically got paid to take 23 bags of groceries after my rebate.
In the economic times that we are experiencing — the advice that you gave today was totally off.
I get the following — all free — because I use coupons and combine them with sales
Neutrogena wrinkle skin care — normally $39.99 — I get it free
Nivea body wash — normally $5.99 — I get it free
Colgate Total — normally $3.99 — I get it free or get paid to take it
John Frieda shampoo & cond – normally $6.99 per bottle – I get it for $.50 clear down to sometimes free
Oral B Toothbrushes — normally $4.75 — I get paid to take them
Profusion Gillette Razor Gift packs — normally6 $12.99 on sale — I pay $.89
I never have to pay for deoderants. Very rarely do I have to pay for Sanitary napkins (3 girls in my house = huge savings)
I could go on and on but these are just a few examples of what is available.
This is the valuable information your readers need to be hearing. You are basically telling them this is as good as it gets — you are wrong.
Do some research — you will be shocked — and that would be TRUE finance advice that is much needed in todays economy
Yes it is time consuming — but for the amount I save if you broke it down into wages the pay is VERY GOOD
how did you get her info – do we have her email?
https://www.investopedia.com/contributors/default.aspx?id=195
when you click on the above link there is a little envelope that says contact Amy
AWESOME! What a great letter!
She also has a blog.. which is hard for me to understand why she would be against couponing. haha
https://twopenniesearned.blogspot.com/
I am with you! I have never tried John Frieda shampoo/conditioner before until the sale at CVS. With all the coupons there were to go with the already good buy, I walked out with 9 bottles of John Frieda and paid about $2 and got 20 dollars in extra bucks back! If it hadn’t been for this, I probably never would have tried it because I cannot afford it. I usually buy cheaper ones because that’s all I can afford. Heck, there have been times my mother has given me bottles of her shampoos and conditioners that she no longer uses because I haven’t had the money. I am 26 and my hubby will be 26 in November. We have a daughter who will be 3 in August and a son who is 9 months and will be 1 in October. Last year, I was heart broken to the point of endless tears because I was not able to so much as to get my daughter a birthday cake for her birthday or any toys, etc. It was almost as though she didn’t even have a birthday last year. This year it is my determined goal she gets the most beautiful birthday cake of her choice and a nice party. My son will too for his first birthday. I am still new to this couponing era, but slowly I am stocking up for something no money at all. I have since gotten together with a friend at work and we share coupon deals and ideas to save money… together we save a LOT of money. I get so excited I have to call my mom and dad to tell them what I got, how much it was worth, and how much I actually had to spend… IF ANYTHING!! I’m still trying to find coupon websites, but sometimes I get limited and sometimes they’re not legit or even want you to pay them to get their coupons or even show you how to use them! If anyone has any suggestions or websites they get coupons from, I’d greatly appreciate it! Thanks!
southernsavers.com is one of my two favorite websites… this one being the other.
Obviously – she has not learned HOW to coupon and/or hasn’t had any success. Once you have a great shopping trip…you will keep going back!
Well written reasons FOR using coupons.
well I say ‘WHATEVER” to every argument. I hit Walgreens, CVS, and Rite Aid every Sunday morning before church and do a 15 mile round trip with shopping and multiple transactions at stores.
This weekend I did 3 transactions at Walgreens, spend $13 OOP on $112 retail of product, spent $.19 OOP on $23 retail at CVS and made $6 and spent $8 OOP on $73 retail at Rite Aid and got $10 UP rewards and a $10 SCR. I think the author would be sick to their stomach if they compared their receipts for the same products with any of ours!
Collin, I wrote the author (see below) – I’ll let you know if I receive a response….
Amy,
I just read your article on “8 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Use Coupons.” Prior to becoming an avid couponer at age 41, I resisted using coupons for exactly the same reasons cited. Since using coupons, I have discovered these are largely myths.
As an avid couponer, my average savings is between 50-95%. Oftentimes, I make money at the register. A recent trip to Safeway rang up for $97.00; after coupons, Safeway owed me eleven cents. Even now as I’m writing you, I am about to leave for a trip to Rite Aid in which I will purchase $116.00 worth of merchandise (OTCs, diapers and hair-color) for $9 out of pocket (and this is before a rebate that will bring that amount down to $0).
You may wish to visit hip2save’s website (a blog cite with followers in the thousands) for that author’s impressions of your article – it would provide a more comprehensive response on why coupon users believe the practice does indeed pay off.
Respectfully yours,
Rebecca Hill
I wrote a letter to Ms. Fontinelle via Investopedia where originally the article came from (Yahoo was powered by, I guess). Did someone write to her like I did? Anyway, WAY TO GO, Collin and all of hip2save readers!!
Also I would like to share with other readers; I found another her article and I thought it’s sort of “interesting”. Here is article…
http//www.savingadvice.com/articles/2009/05/23/104615_how-much-10-common-grocery-items-cost-savvy-shoppers.html
I’m pretty sure it’s her article but not 100% sure thought. I really love hip2save and happy couponing to all of you!!
Collin, your response was fantastic. I’m SO PROUD of you! I read the Yahoo Finance article this morning too, and at first felt slightly insulted… but then I felt sorry for the writer! I get such a rush from buying cereal or other consumables for next to nothing! I’ll never be able to go back to shopping WITHOUT coupons… I guess she’s right, I’ve become a slave to coupons! No, wait,I’ve learned how to make coupons MY slave! Hahahahaha!
Just this week I was able to give a bag of personal care items to a friend who is unemployed and struggling, and she was thrilled. I also donate to our local battered women’s shelter and our church’s food pantry; and my children and husband know when they need something, to check mom’s stockpile first! Thanks, Collin, for all your amazing tips and help saving money.
Ok, for starters #5 state that you should be eating healthy and coupons won’t let you do that, but then in # 7 she wants you to buy ice cream? Hello??? Ice cream isn’t healthy sweetheart! Seriously did she even think before she wrote that? No, I don’t often find super great deals on food products, so but not enough however, coupons allow you to purchase those other items like razors and shampoo for next to nothing so that you have that extra money to put towards the good stuff.
Everyone should learn and want to use coupons because it gives you more for your money and allows you to save, which is a good plan in the current economy. Most people who use coupons don’t overspend on useless stuff but instead know what is important and what they should use their money on. I’m sorry but in the world today we don’t discourage people from saving and encourage them to shop stupid. Maybe she’s too lazy that she can’t sut a few coupons while the tv is on, but I know that it is much more relaxing to know that I have extra funds because of it than to be stressed that I spent more than I had on something. Actually right now I am going to go sit back and enjoy a diet coke that I just got at CVS, currently on sale 4/13 with a free 12 pk and purchased with extra care bucks that I have been rolling for months now. Final cost= free=priceless relaxation. Go get her Collin!!!!!!!!
Hehe – I noticed that too! I wonder why no one in editing pointed those completely contradictory statements!
I would not get onto her so much for that apparent contradiction as she is speaking to the public at large and giving reasons that may appeal to different groups. To one group she would say “you will be tempted to buy bad for you foods when you are trying to eat healthy” and to another group she is saying, “you will have to go without your special treat because it is not on sale.” I don’t think we have to assume she is talking to one particular audience or thinking that each of her points is to hit every person out there… she is simply trying to give reasons people (in her mind) should not use coupons and hit every audience with at least a few points they might find valid. One person may ignore the “healthy kick” argument while taking to heart the “miss my treat” argument and vice versa.
Still DO NOT agree with her, but I at least do not think the article was that poorly written from an argument standpoint. Her arguments are easily countered by those who are in the know about couponing, but not as poorly written as some are saying.
Responding to Item # 4) Many of the coupons will be for things you neither need nor want.
—- Yeah, and by the way, Amy Fontinelle, there are many things on YAHOO that I don’t need or want, but they are shoved in my face, everyday, via email, popup, or on the home pages, etc.
— But do I go out and tell people not to use Yahoo at all —- NO !!
Amy, did you even look at the other side of the coin of this issue ?
I haven’t read the article yet, but I think I get the gist based on your rebuttal (awesome!). I am a stay at home mom to 5 children and before I started couponing about 3 months ago I was spending roughly $200 a week (sometimes more!) on groceries. I am now spending roughly $75 a week…to feed a family of SEVEN and we do not just live on frozen and processed foods…most of our bill is produce (thanks to knowing when to stockpile on bread, BOGO meats, chicken etc) and, even then, I’m always watching for the seasonal produce to be BOGO! I have had a fridge/freezer combo in our basement that has been literally empty for 5 yrs…now…thanks to couponing I can not fit another thing in either the fridge or the freezer. My kids LOVE my new ‘hobby’ because I am constantly scoring FREE or next to free boxes of crackers, fruit snacks, cereals, SOBE, gogurts etc 😉 that we would not normally get before because they were too expensive.
Yes, there are some times when I buy things I wouldn’t normally buy, but I usually only get that stuff if it’s super cheap (like the Neutrogena clinical that I will ultimately get for free when I get my rebate) and either give a new product a try or give it to someone who already uses it (like my sister). Also, I have a son in high school and a daughter that just started shaving her legs…the massive stockpile of travel size deoderants (for his locker) and shaving creams (for my daughter) have saved me a ton of money all by themselves! Dont get me started on the shampoo, conditioner, and body wash this family goes through! I never did couponing until another mom at my twins’ gymnastics class started talking about how she does it (thanks K!!) Quite frankly, I just didn’t know anything about the world of coupons and I think people who look down on it are just uneducated about it…period. Like someone else mentioned, there was a lady behind me at Target not long ago that was a little irritated at how long it was taking me (even though I warned her 🙂 ) until she saw that I saved $121 and only spent $60…she was impressed! She told me so herself!
Finally, I just got back from vacation and I had $66 worth of rebates in my mailbox and I paid $10 total out of pocket for all of the items I got rebates on. 🙂 So, yeah, you could say couponing has been time well spent! 🙂
Oh and $75 a week on groceries is an average…last triple coupon week at Harris Teeter my bill was $19.46 to feed my big family for a week. 🙂
Actually, couponing has brought a lot more to my life than just saving money! I don’t ever have to worry about dinner….I already have something on hand. We get to try new products and my family has more to discuss. My sister and I enjoy shopping together and it has brought us closer together. It is easy to donate when you have more on your own shelves! I would say that the writer lives in bliss…she must because IGNORANCE IS BLISS!
Collin- Excellent way to explain the advantages of using coupons! I also know numerous people who are able to save on HBA, grocery ect…..and have since been putting all of that savings into becoming debt free. People paying off 30 year mortgages, paying off credit card debt, vehicles and FINALLY being able to afford a vacation (which without coupons, would have never happened).
With that being said, I will continue to sit at my table and clip coupons every week and I will also continue to SHOCK the person standing behind me at the checkout when they see my final total!!
For our family- my husband was laid off work for 6 months so I ended up going back to work and he stayed home and watched our three young kids. He then found a job and was working full time so I quit because of the cost of daycare for my kids if I worked. After my husband worked for 6 months, he was then laid off again for the season and was off for 6 months. This time I couldn’t go back to work, I was expecting again and he was occassionally called up to help people do work so it would have been too much for me to try and find a sitter for those days. My husband is now working again, but we are trying to play “catch up” from him being laid off for so long. This week actually, we had not money for groceries and I mean none, but because of couponing I was able to get free Walgreens items with RR and used those RR to buy my groceries! I also used coupons to get my groceries for even cheaper to make my RR go even farther. Since I have so many free items that we will probably never use, I have been giving the items to my family and others to help them out. It is nice that even though we don’t have money I can still give to others and help them out and it doesn’t cost me anything. I just wish I would have learned about couponing like this long ago and maybe we would be trying to sell the vehicles and catch up. Just being able to get groceries for free this week is the very reason why I should coupon. I consider it my contribution to my family- since I am not making money I can at least save the money my husband does make!
We also do not ever buy the paper- we get it free when we get gas as we head to church on Sundays. My family also does the same and gives it to me because they know I will give them products that we don’t need and they don’t have to buy toothpaste, deodorant, toothbrushes, etc. either.
Thank you for writting back to her and for all the work you to in helping my family!
I read some pretty wacky “what not to do” articles on Yahoo finance, some that really go against things I learned while working several years at a financial institution. Those reasons sound like they were pulled out of thin air in the struggle to find some material on which to write an article. If you haven’t already, I would comment on the article and personally invite her to accompany you on a shopping trip, like you said.
what a loser and a fraud!!!
check out this other article by her, and notice 1/2 way down she recommends coupons.
https://www.prlog.org/10388543-5-money-saving-shopping-tips-by-amy-fontinelle.html
I agree in that this article was written without thought or basis, much less knowledge. Couponing, even minimally, will save you hundreds of dollars every year. If you are fortunate enough to have 2 hours a week to spend “paying attention” to your hard earned money and clip the coupons and match the adds to your needs, you will definitely come out hundreds of dollars ahead each and every month. I can actually prove it. 🙂
Collin- great rebuttal! I agree with the others who have left comments. It is very clear that Amy has not had to worry about stretching her dollars. If you take just a little time to research how couponing works, the benefits are tremendous!!! I have been couponing since January and have saved so much money, that I have changed the mind of the most stubborn critic- my husband. He used to tell me that it was a waste of time, until he saw how much money I saved. What I have saved on stuff for my son alone was enough to convince him. Nowadays, 85% of the time I save more than I spend on a trip to the store. I get so many items for free that I am able to help out my friend and her family, who have lost their source of income. Keep up the helpful, informative, and money-saving information Collin! We all really appreciate it.
another thing, I know we have heard people knocking others for emptying the shelves of stuff, but I went to a garage sale the other day and the girl had a ton of stuff that she had bought with coupns and stocked up on just for the sale- because her husband was out of work and they needed the money from the sale to pay the mortage and feed the kids. Not everyone is greedy some just need to pay the bills and this is one way they can “afford” to get by.
I took my daughter shopping with coupons. My grocery bill was $103.00 after coupons it was $36.00. Her bill was half of what she normally would spend after she used her coupons. My husband is all for me using coupons and even points them out when we go shopping. We both love the savings. Anyone who says its a waste of time usually just doesnt want to bother with clipping and saving. To bad. Collin keep up the really great job you are doing for us all. Thank you.
When couponing started to become big, I used to get so frustrated ringing people up with a stock pile of coupons and “holding up” the lines. One day I decided to clip some coupons and test out the water. I saved a LOT of money and was proud of it! I am the only income in the house, with my hubby who stays home with our 2 little ones. Money is EXTREMELY tight every week after pay day. But I’ve been able to save a LOT of money on stuff we need. I’ve bought a lot of Bounty paper towels for sometimes nothing, which with the kids (spills, cleaning up, dinner, etc.) we use a lot of them. Before, I only bought store brand paper towels, but now I get a LOT of Bounty 8 packs+ for practically nothing, and sometimes for nothing! I have a lot of shampoos, conditioners, toothpaste, etc. I haven’t really caught on too much with the grocery part, but I can say that yesterday I bought a whole bunch of badly needed cleaning supplies for practically nothing and that was great because I only had $20 to last me till Thursday night. I bought almost $145 worth of stuff and after spending $6.95 only! (still a great deal) I was overcharged on my shampoo and conditioner by about $1 each and overcharged on my huggies by $3, so really I should have only spent about a dollar and some change. PLUS, I walked away with $13 in extra bucks after all my coupons and rain checks. I got my $3 back, but I have to go tomorrow to get my other $2 back.
I bought: 4 glade fabric sprays, toilet bowl cleaner, mr clean multi-purpose cleaner, diapers, value pack of Huggies wipes, 4 glade candles, a Fabric sweeper, 3 Scotch brite non-scratching sponges, 2 bottles of pledge multi-surface cleaner, 1 shampoo, 1 conditioner, 2 bottles of CVS brand hair detangler (for my daughters veryyy curly hair), 2 glade set of 4 oil candles, 3 packs of ziploc freezer bags, 2 packs of excedirn, 1 large bottle of cascade dishwasher soap, and 1- 8 pack bounty paper towels. Before tax the total was only $2.42, so If I had not been overcharged, I wouldn’t have had to of paid for anything! I would have still had to of grabbed something to cover all my coupons! lol Love it!
Weird…. If she was a good reporter/writer at all she would take u up on your offer. Lets hope she does. Obviously She did not do her job to begin with. A good reporter gets both sides of the story first. That didnt happen or her first paragraph wouldn’t even be there…
Another reporter/writer just throwing crap out there for everyone to read. So sad…….
—–My paper costs me .50cents a week. Plus I get an extra one from my inlaws. If there are ever coupons I want I ask people for them too. I save waaaay more then that every week. One .50cent coupon alone Is doubled for me to $1 at Kroger.
A couple months ago I gave Boxes and Boxes of things for the soldiers overseas. 90% was freebies I recieved From Coupons. So That Toothpaste I didnt need. Well let me tell you They need it. I have about 100 coupons now that I didnt need from the past couple of months that Like Collin said I will be sending to Soldiers Families.
Also To someone who makes little to nothing a year. I would rather Use my time to clip a few coupons and Be able to pay my Mortgage on time then to sweep a floor….
I say let her write this article if that’s what she needs to do… this way the shelves will stay stocked for us couponers!!!
This lady gets paid to write these articles. That makes it easy to write for both sides. She is a couponer, pointing out the pain of couponing.
https://twopenniesearned.blogspot.com/2009/10/anatomy-of-bargain-hunters-grocery.html
I love Hip2Save and check it a few times each day. it has taught me everything about couponing and saving money. When I started couponing it became something that occupied me a few nights each week-one night to walgreens, one to target, one to rite aid, one to meijer, etc. It also took an hour or so of my Sunday: clipping, organizing into binder, planning shopping against the ads, reading hip2save, etc. I saved some good money and got some good deals, but I never quite got to the point where I was paid to take away bag after bag of grocery. It took up way too much of my time and I burnt out on it. I got sick of shopping and driving to a drugstore for toothpaste when I already had a tube, just because it was ten cents. I had papers to grade, kids to tuck in, etc. I just couldn’t do it.
I no longer coupon, but I do scour this site for deals on the clothing and toy stores, restaurants and amazon. I don’t coupon right now because I do not have the time at this point, and I noticed I slowly started buying food items I would have not otherwise bought. For example, I got a ton of 100 Calorie boxes for about 10 cents each at Meijer. In retrospect, I could have donated them, but my family went crazy and ate them. I would rather spend my grocery money on organic fruit, veggies, and meat. The coupons were slowly becoming detrimental to buying that food. I filled my cart with cheap and often unhealthful things. I don’t have great willpower.
I salute and admire the couponers and am sure I will one day return to it when I have more time. I write all of this to offer perspective-it really CAN be a big time issue for some people. I would plan my Sunday around getting the papers, because many stores ran out, and then spent Sunday night clipping and planning. My husband finally said ENOUGH!
I work outside the home and couldn’t devote a few evenings to driving for deals anymore, but sure appreciate the info on this site. Just wanted to offer another perspective on the time issue mentioned in the article.
Anyone that has other ideas and/or suggestions can also e-mail me at: blumommy2@comcast.net
Free coupon sites are also greatly appreciated! I currently use coupons.com, ppgazette.com and this site. That’s all I have. Thanks in advance!!
I have been couponing for 17 yrs and have saved so much money over the years it is insane. This article and it’s author just make me laugh.
nothing like slamming coupons to get a bunch of couponers worked up! lol she obviously has never done without in her life. I hope that she never does but if it weren’t for coupons and sites like these my family wouldnt be surviving. Thanks Collin.
The writer was really hard up for a topic to meet her deadline this week . Otherwise she would have known just how incredibly ignorant the entire article was. I have a family of 6, I have taken our monthly grocery budget from $1000.00 a month to less than $400. and that includes household products. You did a great job on your rebuttal Collin, I’m crossing my fingers that she takes you up on your offer!
Couponing is totally worth it! I love looking through the coupon inserts in the newspaper, and then the store circulars to see where I can get the best deals. I scored 6 boxes of barilla pasta for $.79 each, and 6 containers of Classico pasta sauce for $1.49 each (at Dominicks). Collin’s Wags, and Target lists are so helpful. I also went to Wags today, and scored some awesome diapers for $6 a pack. I don’t have children, but as Collin suggested, you can always give stuff away to your friends or to a food bank. I called my local food bank, and asked what they were in desperate need of. Diapers! So I bought some diapers, and my best friend donated some to them. I also shopped with coupons, rebate checks and such back in June, for 5 backpacks for refugee kids. I got 5 backpacks worth of school supplies & a stuffed animal for $20 each. What a wonderful gift to give to others!
I love the challenge/sport of couponing. How little can I pay for something? Where can I get the best deals? I figure it exercises my brain in good ways.
I love your site, Collin. As many have stated here, I check it several times a day. I score around 1-3 samples a day in the mail, and use them in my travel toiletries bag, or give them away to friends with kids, or save them to give away as birthday gifts or Christmas presents. I also stash away items I’ve gotten for free or for very little money and do the same thing with them. Some may call me cheap- I call myself thrifty and smart! 🙂
I had just bought 9 bottles of John Frieda for about $2 the other day at CVS and then yesterday I bought another bottle of shampoo and conditioner and some other needed stuff. The girl asked me, “Seriously, are you a pack rat? You just bought a crap load of shampoo, conditioner, and paper towels the other day? I wonder what your house looks like… where do you put it all?!” She wasn’t saying it to be rude, it’s a girl I know lol I told her it is all stuff that I use, I don’t buy what I won’t use or that just won’t get used period. I have 2 bothrooms and plenty of cabinet space. Last year when the cvs brand paper towels were on sale 2/$1, I bought a whole box and just recently ran out so I’ve been stocking back up. I’m nowhere near a hoarder or a pack rat, I just like to stock up and save when I can on what I need to. No harm in that game.
That is exactly it! I coupon to save money, of course, but it really is the challenge that gets me excited about it 😛 I started out thinking it was so awesome if I could save 50% of what I spent and now when I save TWO TIMES what I spend it makes my whole day. 😉 I had to quit working when I had our twins and this makes me feel like I am still contributing. 🙂